Go Here: US Space and Rocket Center in Alabama

I don't care how this makes me sound, it's just honest: I hated every kid I ever knew who got to go to space camp. It was based on nothing more than raw, seething jealousy.

At the age of 8, space camp was the coolest thing I could ever imagine happening to me during summer vacation, and totally not an option. Instead my mom accidentally sent me to eight weeks at a camp where I was literally the only kid who wasn't jewish, and threatened to ground me for a year if I took off my catholic cross and she found out. As you can imagine, I made a lot of friends that summer.

I'm letting go of that space camp hate today, now that I've discovered this place. (They're all still snobby rich jerks, though.)

The US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama is like space camp for grown-up! The museum tour allows you to explore the history of space exploration and the shuttle program, and they have giant rockets!

spacecamp.com

And SIMULATORS!

spacecamp.com

And astronauts!

spacecamp.com

There's also something called the Area 51 Ropes Course, where you get to pretend you are on a mission to defend earth from aliens. Also, there's a scuba program. My heart is actually racing while typing this.

spacecamp.com

I will definitely puke in that simulator, but I have earned that right.